


marriage material

by cyrus is a goodman (hashtag_fangirling)



Category: Andi Mack (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - High School, Coming Out, Light Angst, M/M, Mutual Pining, T. J. Kippen & Amber Are Siblings, a little ooc, my children
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-10
Updated: 2019-07-10
Packaged: 2020-06-25 21:21:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,905
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19754032
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hashtag_fangirling/pseuds/cyrus%20is%20a%20goodman
Summary: buffy: where in this timeline are you getting married, tj?tj: whenever cyrus gets married ... waitaka the gang discusses the order in which everyone will get married, and tj fucks up.(or does he?)





	marriage material

–ty&cy–

On a particularly chilly Friday evening in autumn, the Good Hair Crew, Jonah, Amber, Marty, and TJ gathered around their favorite circular booth at the Spoon. Jonah sat on one edge, with Cyrus to his left, then TJ next to him. Amber sat next to her brother, with Andi to her left. Buffy sat next to her best friend, and Marty sat to her left.

Usually, the seven would spend Friday evenings at the park or at school watching the football game. However, due to windchill and Cyrus’s inability to stay warm, the gang decided that hanging out at the Spoon would probably be the best way to start their weekend.

For Andi, Cyrus, Buffy, Marty, and TJ, the stress of studying for standardized testing and looking at colleges needed to be subsided with a nice evening of baby taters and hot chocolate. On the other hand, Jonah and Amber agreed that they needed an evening to take their minds off of college applications and their parents’ stressful energies.

After their order of baby taters and hot chocolates came to the table, the seven talked about a multitude of topics. Somewhere, the topic of marriage came up.

“You all know that you’re already invited to my wedding, right?” Andi said while holding Amber’s hand on the table. The two teens had been dating since the beginning of Andi’s freshman year and Amber’s sophomore year of high school. When coming out to their parents, Amber and Andi both sat them down together and both the Kippens and the Macks were delighted for their daughters.

Cyrus, while popping a baby tater into his mouth, replied, “Well, of course! I call dibs on maid of honor!”

This made Buffy drop the baby tater she was about to put in her mouth. With anger painted on her face, she loudly said, “Are you crazy, Cyrus? There is no way in hell that you’ll be maid of honor if I’m alive!”

The two started bickering across the table as the rest of the gang just rolled their eyes. Marty kept an arm around Buffy’s torso to avoid the argument from getting physical, or at least that’s what he told himself. There was no way that Buffy would hurt Cyrus, and he knew that. Marty from the party and Buffy Driscoll started dating almost a year ago after accidentally landing themselves under the mistletoe at the Kippens’ Christmas Party. (But, even though they won’t say it, Andi and Cyrus forced them under the mistletoe without Marty or Buffy knowing).

“Speaking of marriages, who do you all think will get married first in our friend group?” asked Jonah.

The other six remained silent in thought until Cyrus spoke, “Definitely Amber. She could get any girl she would want to marry. Also, she’s the oldest in our group so I think she’ll mature the fastest.”

Jonah gave his nod of approval, and then posed, “So, Cyrus, what order do you think we all are getting married, regardless of the couples in our group?

Cyrus replied, “Well, Jonah, I think that Amber would get married first for the reasons that I previously stated. Then, it’s probably you due to you being older than us all and because you’re an attractive and likable guy.”

His comment made Andi, Buffy, and Jonah grin, but Cyrus noticed how TJ looked slightly uncomfortable when he turned towards his best friend. All the brown-haired boy wanted to do was reach out and squeeze his hand, but Cyrus knew that TJ was straight ever since the two met in seventh grade. And while he and TJ’s friendship grew, so did Cyrus’s giant crush on his best friend.

Cyrus Goodman realized that he was in love with his best friend TJ Kippen on a Monday in tenth grade when TJ made Cyrus watch a seventh grade basketball game. TJ coached a basketball game comprised of seventh graders, and watching TJ teach and lift of the players spirits made Cyrus swoon even more. His ability to work with children, his passion for the sport, and the way his biceps bulged in his navy blue button down and khakis were all really attractive qualities in a man. In that moment, he realized how much he loved TJ’s optimism and how much he loved TJ. And right after, Cyrus audibly stated “ah, fuck” on the bleachers surrounded by the moms of seventh graders and their other young children.

Immediately afterward, Cyrus called the Andi and Buffy and told them about being in love with TJ. Andi smiled, while Buffy just mumbled, “No shit, Sherlock,” into the phone. While Andi and Buffy urged him to talk to TJ about his feelings, Cyrus knew that TJ was not into boys and that, yet again, he put himself in a position to fall in love with his straight athletic best friend.

Nevertheless, Cyrus continued. “Then, I think Andi would get married after Jonah because she’s a lot more mature than the rest of us. Then probably Marty. Then TJ. Buffy doesn’t seem like the kind of person to get tied down before starting a career, so she’d be next.”

Buffy laughed, and gave Cyrus a fist bump, as showing her approval of his last comment. Overall, there was mostly approval throughout the group. Amber quickly showed some disapproval, stating, “Marriage is a sham anyways, so I don’t think that I need marriage to show the woman that I love that I love them. But otherwise, I agree.”

“I think that I’d get married last. I mean, I’m the only person in this group who doesn’t like anyone at the moment,” said Jonah. “You know, sometimes it’s hard to even envision myself with someone.”

Cyrus’s eyes shot wide open at Jonah’s comment. He quickly glanced over at TJ, but TJ was just staring intently at the salt shaker next to the napkin container. He wasn’t sure what was going through his head, but he didn’t know how to address his concerns in front of the others. Hopefully, TJ did not hear what Jonah had said.

Worse, Jonah could have been correct that TJ liked someone. Cyrus knew that TJ had never had a girlfriend before, which was weird for being the captain of the varsity basketball team. But, even though TJ and Cyrus were best friends, Cyrus had never pried more due to the fear of heartbreak.

By not talking about their crushes, Cyrus wouldn’t get hurt when TJ told him about the girl he had a crush on. Obviously, he couldn’t compete with whichever beautiful girl TJ was actually capable of being attracted to.

“Aw, Jonah. Don’t say that! You’re only eighteen, there’s so much time left ahead of you!” Marty was surprisingly great at being supportive, even though he was extremely competitive. Cyrus believed that something changed when he and Buffy started dating. “I, on the other hand, believe that I would be married before all of you. I have charm and good moves, so I’d easily pick up a woman before all of you.”

Buffy scoffed and lightly hit the back of her hand against Marty’s chest. “That was such a douchey thing for you to say. But, if you think that you have more charm than me, think again son. I’m definitely getting married before you. Screw my career! I’m getting married before you, Marty!”

“Aw, you both are perfect for each other!” Andi chuckled as Buffy proceeded to lightly shove her. Andi continued, “I don’t think I’d get married until I was at least twenty-five. Or until I’m in love with someone for at least seven years.”

The group collectively chuckled. “Well that’s oddly specific,” proceeded Cyrus. “I don’t think I’ll get married for a long time. It’s hard to find gay boys anyways. But I mean, I think the future is so far away that I don’t need to know now.”

Since six out of the seven went, everyone intently stared at TJ Kippen, whose eyes were still fixated on the salt shaker at the middle of the table.

“What about you, Kippen?” asked Buffy.

A confused and distracted TJ looked up and asked, “Huh?”

“Where in this timeline are you getting married, TJ?”

Clearly confused, TJ immediately replied, “Whenever Cyrus gets married.” After pausing for a second, everyone watched as TJ’s eyes shot open and his face tinted a little pink. Cyrus looked confused. Clearly, TJ misunderstood Buffy’s question. _Maybe he thought the question was “when will you be Best Man at a Wedding?”_ But, there was a small voice in the back of his brain whispering that TJ wanted to be married with him. 

Then, TJ vigorously started shaking his head. Looking like a deer caught in the headlights, TJ said “Wait, that’s not what I meant.” 

“So, what did you mean?” Buffy interrogated. Her dark skin was adorned with a smirk bigger than the longest marathon she had ever run. She looked directly at Cyrus, who quietly shook his head as to tell Buffy to stop.

After looking at everyone scattered around the booth with a nervous chuckle, TJ said, “I, uh, mean that, uh, Cyrus and I are best friends so we should, uh, have a wedding together! Wait, no, uh, not like that. I mean, um, he and his future, uh, husband should get married at the same time as me and my future boyfriend.” TJ’s eyes shot open, as did Amber’s, once they realized that TJ had just come out in front of the whole table.

Buffy and Andi both looked at each other with their eyes wide in shock.

Embarrassed and avoiding eye contact with Cyrus, TJ quietly said, “I got to go. My, uh, dog needs me. Bye.”

He gestured at Jonah to move so he could slip out of the booth. That involved Cyrus moving too, but Cyrus was practically frozen in shock. Not only in shock that the love of his life was actually not a flaming heterosexual like he thought, but also that TJ saw them as the kind of best friends who have their weddings together rather than someone TJ could marry.

Jonah easily shifted out of the booth, but Cyrus physically could not feel himself move. Since Cyrus took too long, TJ took matters into his own hands by crawling under the table and speed-walking towards the door. He swung the door open, and all Cyrus was left with was the chill of the wind that entered the Spoon against his skin and the distant smell of Old Spice Deodorant.

The six friends left just let out a breath. Jonah was the first to speak.

“So, could someone tell me what just happened because there is no way that a dog asked TJ to leave that quickly?”

Cyrus remained silent and kept his eyes rested on the salt shaker. Andi and Buffy just slightly smiled, while Marty and Jonah just looked confused. Amber, on the other hand, just started laughing.

“What are you laughing, love?” Andi asked her girlfriend. Before Amber could proceed, Cyrus took his eyes off the salt shaker and looked directly at the Andi.

“She’s laughing because of course the person I like is gay but only views me as the best friend who he wants to get married with, but not to. It’s fine. It happens. No need to taunt me about it.” Cyrus’s eyes reverted back to the salt shaker.

After a brief moment, Amber’s loud laugh was enough for Cyrus to look up at her in annoyance to question why she needs to laugh at his sorrow, as he thought she did not do that anymore. With a smile, Amber said, “As TJ’s sister, I can promise you that he didn’t go home. We don’t even own a dog! He’s probably at the swings–your swings–right now. And you’d be surprised, but TJ doesn’t view you as his best friend who he would get married alongside. You should go talk to him.”

In that moment, Cyrus took Amber’s words to heart and thought that maybe it was time for him to reveal his feelings. Heartbreak hurts, but so would ignoring his best friend.

“Okay, I’m going to go talk to him. Hopefully, he’ll be at the swings,” Cyrus said as he moved out of the booth.

The last thing that Cyrus heard after he swung the door open was Amber screaming, “Oh, he definitely will be!”

–ty&cy–

When Cyrus said that he couldn’t handle the cold, that was in no way a lie. The walk from The Spoon to the park wasn’t long, but there was only so much warmth that could come from rubbing your hands together. Thankful that he left his gloves in his winter jacket, Cyrus slipped them onto his pale, chilled hands.

On the walk over, Cyrus couldn’t stop thinking about what TJ said. So much was running through his mind that on the walk over, all that was running through his head was “ _Me and my future boyfriend?”_ _TJ “Basketball Guy” Kippen isn’t straight? What?_

It didn’t make sense to Cyrus. He came out to TJ at the end of eighth grade. They had been best friends since seventh grade. He had known TJ for almost four years. Did TJ not trust him?

Some time passed, and Cyrus hadn’t realized that he made it to the park. He wasn’t even thinking about how to get there. The park had always been his special place with TJ, and at this point, his heart (and subconscious) could just sense how to reach the swings every time. In the dim light from the black lamppost a few yards away from the playground, Cyrus saw the outline of the varsity basketball player, the volunteer coach, and the best friend he grew to know and love within the span of four years. TJ was swinging slowly, staring daggers into the dirt underneath him.

Cyrus had perfected his ability to be invisible throughout high school, so he could move around without making a noise. So, it was no surprise when he quietly made it to the swing next to TJ and asked the famous words.

“Is this seat taken?”

Cyrus, clad in his fluffy winter coat and knit gloves, saw TJ’s head whip towards him. He looked sad, his eyes moist under the small light of the lamppost near them. _Had he been crying?_ Cyrus had never seen his best friend cry every.

Cyrus was snapped out of his thoughts by the bluntness of TJ’s deep voice. “How did you find me?”

Cyrus took the other boy’s question as an invitation and sat his butt down onto the rubber seat. He wrapped his gloved arms around the chains of the swing and looked down at the dirt beneath his feet. “Amber knows you very well.”

Still staring at the ground, TJ just chuckled. Ever since they became friends, Cyrus knew how close the Kippen siblings were. They had survived so much together: financial problems, a foreclosure, a divorce, and Amber’s coming out. Cyrus could never be jealous of that bond the two of them have; he was fine being the best friend in this situation.

However, it didn’t sit well that TJ still walked out of the Spoon after his slip up. So, Cyrus, looking up from the dirt to turn towards the beautiful boy on his right, said, “I thought I knew you very well too.”

Obviously, that was a little harsh. But, Cyrus was hurt and confused. He couldn’t wrap his brain around the reasons why TJ couldn’t trust him. _Yes, people should come out on their own terms, but I am accepting. For fuck’s sake, I’m gay._

TJ just kept looking at the dirt beneath his worn sneakers. He remained quiet, so Cyrus took that as his cue to continue.

“You know, I came out to you in eighth grade. I still remember that moment. We were on the class trip at the top of the ferris wheel. You knew that I was afraid of heights, and I was a wreck when you suggested that we should go on. I started hyperventilating, but you took my hand and calmed me down by saying you would never let anything happen to me.” TJ grinned a little at the memory. “You asked me if I trusted you, and I know exactly what I said to this day. ‘Always.’ And in that moment, I knew I had to tell you. So I did, on the top of that ferris wheel, with all of Shadyside’s views present.

“We saw these very swings from the top. Our swings, the ones where we first met. I couldn’t believe that you wanted to be my friend. And at the top of the ferris wheel, I still couldn’t believe it. But, what I did know was that I trusted you. That’s why I came out to you. And I will trust you in everything that you do.”

Cyrus saw the green eyes he had become so familiar with move its gaze from the ground onto his brown ones. TJ’s green eyes looked tired, exhausted even. But, there was a smile on his face that fell after Cyrus said his next phrase.

“Do you not trust me?”

Now, Cyrus was the one who began to cry. His big brown eyes filled with tears that threatened to leak out at any second. Immediately, TJ paled as though someone kicked the air out of him and looked extremely concerned. Finally, he croaked.

“Of course I trust you, Cyrus.” The brunette boy noticed TJ’s mildly blue thumbs fidgeting, as though he was having a thumb wrestling competition with himself and as though he was wrestling with something bigger. “I trust you more than anyone else in the world.”

Beady brown eyes met tear-filled green ones when Cyrus asked, “So why didn’t you tell me?”

TJ was clearly wrestling with something. In the smallest of whispers, so quiet Cyrus barely heard it, he replied. “I don’t think I trust myself.”

Obviously, Cyrus was confused. _What does he mean?_ But, it seemed as though TJ was going to continue, so Cyrus didn’t say anything. Cyrus may have been hurt, but he knew that his greatest characteristic was that he listened. And he needed to listen to what his best friend had to say.

TJ took a deep breath and continued after Cyrus’s silent nod to continue. “I’ve been an athlete since I was three years old. Each year, as I got older, everyone had this expectation that I would end up with a girl. I remember all of my teammates’ moms saying that whichever girl I married would be so lucky. So, I just internalized that I needed to grow up and get with a girl in order to be successful. But, there had always been these feelings and thoughts that I had towards other boys. When I first met Reed, I remember thinking he was cute. And the minute I thought that, I tried to repress my romantic feelings towards everyone.

“When you came out to me on the ferris wheel, I was so proud of you. And I was so happy for you. I still am. I remember wanting to come out to you. But, I couldn’t come out to anyone. Not even myself.” TJ took a deep breath again, and Cyrus found comfort in seeing his silhouette rise up and down slowly. “Amber figured it out last year. We shared a computer and she saw my search history. Before you say anything, the searches were about gay actors and their coming out stories.” Cyrus just chuckled a little because his brain did go to a darker place. “She told me I was normal, but I didn’t want to accept it. I never trusted myself to be comfortable with who I was.”

TJ paused for a few seconds. His eyes darted everywhere besides Cyrus. He looked troubled, confused even. And that was understandable. “But Cyrus, the reason I didn’t come out to you was because I didn’t trust myself to hold back around you.” Cyrus’s heart started beating. He had no clue what the other boy meant. _Why would he need to hold back?_ He came for answers and now he was even more confused.

“Ever since that day on the swings in seventh grade, all I’ve wanted to do is hug you, hold your hand, and kiss you in public. On the ferris wheel, when you came out to me, everything in my body was telling me to lean forward, tell you everything would be okay, and kiss you. But, the part of my brain that was telling me that I was straight was also telling me that you could never like me. Nice guys like Jonah Beck are more your type, not mean boys who bullied your best friend and still can’t do math properly. And even now, God, Cyrus, there’s nothing more I want to do besides kiss you. But you would never like me.”

Cyrus looked so surprised. The boy that he’s been in love with for the past year actually gay? Let alone, TJ liked him? He really couldn’t believe it, and he couldn’t articulate how he felt. So, it seemed as though TJ mistook his silence for something else.

A dejected TJ started, “And now you hate me.” He let out a sad chuckle before he continued, “Classic TJ. Anything good, I’ve got to ru-”

TJ was stopped by two lips on his. Under the light of the lamppost, Cyrus kissed TJ as best as he knew how. He felt TJ freeze at the contact, but slowly, the basketball player danced along with brunette. The boy needed to shut up anyway, so Cyrus got two good things out of this kiss. The kiss was awkward, as first kisses usually are. But, Cyrus could feel the warmth it created. He could also feel the butterflies welling up in his stomach.

Soon after, the two broke apart (even though Cyrus really didn’t want to). But, the two smitten kittens had a big smile plastered across their faces and just looked happy. The first person to break the silence was Cyrus.

“Just to clarify, Teej, you’re literally one of the nicest boys I know, so you’re totally my type. And two, I’ve known that I had a huge crush on you since eighth grade. And three, I know that you trust me. I was just a little confused at your confession.” TJ just laughed a little and the smile on his face continued to grow. Immediately, Cyrus realized the reason why he was there in the first place.

“Wait, TJ, did you say that you wanted to marry me back at The Spoon?”

The smile on TJ’s face dropped and was replaced by reddened cheeks and a blush Cyrus couldn’t help but think was cute.

A stuttering mess, TJ said, “Well, maybe we should start somewhere smaller than marriage.”

Cyrus couldn’t contain his smile as he tauntingly joked, “You think that I’m marriage material!”

TJ couldn’t contain his grin as he grabbed Cyrus’s hand from his swing. Both of their hands warmed up as they pressed against each other in the chilliest of nights. Before the two walked back to The Spoon hand in hand, the smiling and happy TJ had the last word on the swings that night.

“How about we start with boyfriend material?”

  


**Author's Note:**

> i started writing this ages ago but finally finished it this morning! thank you for reading! i'd really appreciate reviews and kudos if possible! any feedback is good feedback!!


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